1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to bicycle accessories and, more particularly, to a briefcase designed especially to be detachably mounted on and carried between the seat and handlebars of a bicycle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Due to a number of different factors, among them the nation's increased attention to physical fitness and awareness of environmental issues, as well as the growing amount of congestion on the nation's highways, a number of short-distance commuters have been turning to the bicycle as their preferred form of transportation. One problem that bicycle commuters find, however, is that no suitable means is available for storing and carrying important papers, books and other supplies which the commuter may need for office or school.
Many bike riders, particularly students, carry their supplies in backpacks. However, backpacks are unsatisfactory for a number of reasons. First of all, the shape and construction of a standard backpack does not allow for the neat, orderly storage of flat, easily crumpled items such as individual sheets of paper or the like. In addition, a backpack filled with heavy items such as books tends to be cumbersome and to weigh the rider down. Furthermore, although backpacks may look appropriate for the casual style adopted by students, they tend to detract from the image most professionals would like to project.
As an alternative to the backpack, some people carry their supplies in baskets attached to the handlebars or rear of their bicycles. Such baskets however, are usually designed for 3-speed bicycles and, for both aesthetic and practical reasons, are not suitable for sporty 10-speed models. In addition, because most bicycle baskets are open, their contents present an easy temptation to would-be thieves, and are vulnerable to damage from rain, snow, and other bad weather.
In response to the above problems, a few prior art attempts have been made to design bags specifically for mounting between the seat and handlebars of 10-speed bicycles. Each of the prior art bags can be categorized as one of two types--hard-sided bags or soft-sided bags. Most hard sided bags, which are made from a rigid material such as leather or molded plastic, have been prohibitively expensive to manufacture. On the other hand, prior art soft-sided bags, which are generally made from fabric, have been much less expensive but have been so soft and limp as to completely lose their shape when lifted from the cross bar of the bicycle. As a result, none of the prior art bicycle bags of either category have achieved any degree of commercial acceptance.
It would be highly advantageous, therefore, to remedy the foregoing and other deficiencies inherent in the prior art.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an new and improved briefcase for mounting between the handlebars and the seat of a bicycle.
Another object of the invention is to provide a bicycle briefcase with fasteners for demountably securing the front, rear, and top edges of the briefcase to the bottom brace, the seat post, and the cross bar, respectively, of the bicycle frame in order to prevent horizontal or vertical movement of the case with respect to the frame.
Still another object of the invention is the provision of a briefcase which can be mounted on the crossbar of a bicycle or conveniently converted into a shoulder or handbag.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a soft-sided bicycle briefcase which will retain its shape when lifted from the crossbar of a bicycle.
Yet still another object of the invention is the provision of a bicycle briefcase which is convenient to clean.
And still a further object of the invention is the provision of a bicycle briefcase with a unique, attractive appearance suitable for business professionals as well as students.
And yet a further object of the invention is to provide a bicycle briefcase, according to the foregoing, which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture.